The present invention relates to modulus built cages for animals, which cages are easily mountable and demountable from separate bottom, wall and top units.
The cages are mainly intended for hens, especially laying hens. However, they can also be used for other animals.
The cages known before for this purpose are connected with several disadvantages. Thus, as a rule they do not give a wholly satisfactory environment for the animals. Moreover, it is time-consuming and thus very cost-consuming to mount the cages. Usually, it is also impossible to change parts of a broken cage in a row without demounting a great number of adjacent cages at the same time.
According to the present invention one has avoided to a great extent the above-mentioned problems with the cages known before and brought about, from separate bottom, wall and top units easily mountable and demountable modulus built cages for animals, including bottom units, side walls, back walls and top units.
The cages are characterized in that the bottom units along their adjacent sides are provided with a first set of mounting means for mounting the bottom units together and a second set of mounting means for mounting the side walls on the bottom units, that the side walls at their vertical rear edges are provided with mounting means for the back walls, that the side walls are provided at the top with mounting means for the top units and that the side walls are provided at the bottom with mounting means intended to cooperate with the second set of mounting means on the bottom units.
The first set of mounting means intended for mounting together the bottom units can suitably consist of hook like parts, which after the mounting are hooking to each other. However, it is also possible to mount the bottom units together in many other ways, on condition that a stable and strong construction is obtained.
The second set of mounting means on the bottom units that are intended for fixing the side walls can comprise longitudinal grooves for receiving outwards directed pins or flanges belonging to the mounting means at the bottom of the side walls. When the cages are intended for hens the bottom units are suitably open-work and check patterned. Then the squares can be perpendicular to the side walls. However, it is especially advantageous if the squares of the bottom units are arranged diagonally to the side walls. The hens are namely standing very well on such a bottom unit. Furthermore, the bottom units should be made of plastic and not metal. Metal conducts heat better than plastic. Therefore, if the bottom units are made of metal the hens are getting chilled to a great extent. If the hens are getting chilled, the fodder consumption will increase. In other words, the hens must eat more to keep their body temperature. Moreover, such a bottom unit made of plastic is adjusted to the environment.
If the cages are used for laying hens it is preferable that the bottom units are leaning forward and are provided with a shoot in the front part for receiving eggs.
The opening in the part of the cages is shut off for example by one or more gates, or doors.
Advantageously, the back walls are provided with stationary slats looking like venetian blinds. Then good ventilation is obtained by the slits between the slats. Moreover, by this construction of the back wall the animals will not have any possibility to hurt each other.
Not only the bottom unit but also the side walls, the back walls and the top units are suitably made of plastic, such as polyethylene or polypropylene.
Thereby, the cages are getting light, easy to clean and require a minimum of maintenance. However, if desired, there is nothing to prevent you from making one or more parts of metal or another material.